Nutrition for Body and Soul

What is Moringa Oleifera?

by Food 4 Thought Wellness on October 6, 2015

Thank you Dr. Plant School of Natural Health and Wellness for this awesome information!

What is Moringa Oleifera?

Moringa oleifera is most nutritious species of the 13 species of the Moringa family, and has earned the honor of being the most nutritiously dense botanical on earth (values listed in appendix A). This botanical has been honored by nearly 100 cultures over time, and because of such has been referred to by more than 60 different names. Moringa oleifera can be an exceptional source of nutrition for all ages and has been endorsed by numerous institutions for daily consumption, and as a mechanism for treating malnutrition; these institutions include Trees for Life Research and the World Health Organization (WHO). The scientific community has recognized Moringa oleifera as the most nutritiously dense botanical for the sheer value and diversity of nutrients, for example:

Furthermore, numerous institutions have validated the nutritional value and mechanism of drying the leaves for optimal nutritional enrichment and value. These practices include shade drying the leaves indoors, in moderately controlled temperatures, and away from direct sunlight. The process takes anywhere from 3-10 days to complete depending on humidity.

The health and wellness benefits of Moringa oleifera are carried beyond its nutritional benefit. As Balbir Mathur, President of Trees of Life Research states:

“In a remote village of eastern India, I was approached by an old and dignified practitioner of traditional medicine. He had learned that Trees for Life was helping villagers plant fruit trees, and he had traveled more than a hundred miles to meet me. As we talked, he made an outrageous claim: “The leaves of the Moringa tree prevent 300 diseases.””